Why The Stand Is Being Delayed Again... Again

While Hollywood has been adapting Stephen King’s stories for decades, lately the attempts to make movies based on his books have been going more slowly. The Dark Tower movie only just started making some progress over the last several months, and while Idris Elba is now the frontrunner to play the lead, it has yet to be greenlit. Now there’s word that the cinematic version of The Stand has also been delayed yet again, ironically due to another Stephen King book being brought to the big screen.

Josh Boone, director of The Fault in Our Stars and writer of projects like Vampire Chronicles and New Mutants, recently co-penned an adaptation of King’s 2014 novel Revival with King himself and producer Michael de Luca. They have since submitted the script to Universal, and according to Deadline, it’s likely it will "find a home" either there or at another studio. If that happens, and also taking into account Boone’s other projects, then his adaptation of The Stand, which he’ll also direct, will need to be pushed back since it will take much longer to get off the ground. The article also notes that the movie "has practically set a cast, with verbal commitments," so all it needs is Boone’s attention. Originally published in 1978, The Stand is a post-apocalyptic tale set in America after a deadly virus wipes out most of the planet.

It’s just another barrier for a movie that’s been trying to get made for years. Warner Bros. and CBS Films first announced the cinematic adaptation back in 2011, but the former’s option has since expired, so the latter will either have to take it to another studio or use its connection to Lionsgate. Originally envisioned as a three hour movie, Boone revealed in 2014 The Stand is now expected to be a four movie tale, which is fitting given the original book was 823 pages and The Uncut Edition is 1152 pages.

As far as The Stand’s cast goes, there isn’t much that’s been revealed to the public. Last year, Matthew McConaughey was reportedly being considered to play villain Randall Flag, but it’s unclear whether he’s still connected to the project or not. King’s story might also not just be limited to the big screen. It was reported last summer that The Stand would also be made into an eight-part miniseries for Showtime that would set up the movie. This is actually fitting, given that ABC made The Stand into a miniseries back in 1994.

We’ll keep you updated on any developments regarding The Stand, but with Revival now Boone’s main Stephen King-related focus, don’t expect hit to hit theaters any time soon. They say good things come to those who wait. Well, if that’s true, then The Stand better be excellent when it’s finally released.